NHL: New York Rangers Vs Florida Panthers Prediction, Odds and Best Bets

An Eastern Conference showdown tonight in Sunrise, Florida. The New York Rangers (24-8-1) will take on the Panthers (20-12-2) in their 1st matchup of the year. Both teams are on 2 game winning streaks and 6-4-0 in their last 10 games coming into this game.

New York is sitting in the 1st spot of the Metro Division with a 7-point lead. The Rangers have shown they can contend no matter where they play, currently splitting their home/away games 12-4 each. They do have 1 overtime loss (OTL) on the road.

This team as a whole has been solid from offense to defense to goaltending. The Rangers sit 10th in the league with 3.39 goals forced per game and 6th in shooting percentage with 11%. They have the best power play in the league, converting 31% of the time and are tied for the lead league for faceoffs won (54.7%).

On defense, New York ranks in the top of the league for goals allowed (tied for 6th) and shots on goal allowed (tied for 11th). They rank in the top 5 of the league for penalty kill with an 86% kill rate. Playing this 2-way style of hockey has been a great reason for the Rangers success so far this year.

Goaltending has been solid, as it should be with a former Vezina winner as your starter. Shesterkin is 14-7-0 with a 2.77 GAA and a .910 save percentage this year, but it's his back up who will get the call tonight.

Jonathan Quick was picked up by the team in the offseason and has been showing he was well worth it. He has 9-1-1 record in 11 starts with a 2.27 GAA and a .920 save percentage. Quick also has recorded 2 shutouts so far this season.

The defending Eastern Conference champs are having a nice start themselves. They're sitting 2nd in the Atlantic Division and are 10-5-0 at home so far this year. Their strong defense has been a big part of their success this season.

Florida averages just 2.91 goals forced per game but averages the 2nd most shots on goal per game (34.2). Unfortunately, they don't shoot very accurately, only hitting 8.5% of the time.

Their defense has been very good this year. They rank in the top 5 of the league for goals allowed (2.59) and shots on goal allowed per game (27.1). The Panthers penalty kill is also solid ranking 8th in the league at 83.3% kill rate.

Sergei Bobrovsky will get the start in net for the Panthers. He lost his last 2 starts vs the Rangers last season but won his previous 6 games dating back to 2021. He is 16-9-1 with a 2.48 GAA and a.911 save percentage this season.

It will be a tough night for the Panthers if they can't find a way around Jonathan Quick. Let's get into more of it and check out the odds for tonight.

Betting Odds

Puck Line

• New York Rangers +1.5 (-210)
• Florida Panthers -1.5 (+172)

Moneyline

• New York Rangers +115
• Florida Panthers -137

Totals

• Over 6.5 (+104)
• Under 6.5 (-128)

Odds courtesy of MyBookie

Game Information

• Venue: Amerant Bank Arena, Sunrise, FL
• Date: Friday, December 29, 2023
• Puck Drop: 7pm EST
• TV: MSG2, BSFL

New York Rangers vs Florida Panthers Prediction and Picks

Prediction and Pick: New York Rangers Moneyline (+115) MyBookie

I find this line interesting because, in my opinion, it's really favoring the home team. I know home ice can always be a big part of a game, but this is just another regular season game. And then you're going to give me possibly the best team in the league at plus money?! YES PLEASE!

With the way the Rangers have been playing, they've shown they can play anyone. This should be a good, hard-fought battle, but I think the Rangers take this in the end. The Panthers will struggle against Jonthan Quick, who has won his last 4 games vs them.

I think the Rangers control this game from start to finish. Look for them to get out to an early lead and maintain it throughout the game. I really think that Quick will be the difference maker and the Rangers will be able to find the back of the net multiple times.

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